Gu Xicao didn’t invite too many people to her shop’s opening. She simply informed people like Mrs. Lin, asking them to come by that day to add to the crowd and create a lively atmosphere.

However, the opening of such a large shop inevitably attracted considerable attention.

Particularly among the fortune-telling stalls and shops in the surrounding area.

It’s often said that people in the same trade are rivals, and this couldn’t be more accurate.

Gu Xicao’s business had been thriving. When she was just running a small stall, others could turn a blind eye. But now that she was opening a shop—such a large one at that—many people were growing envious.

Fortune-telling had historically been considered a lowly profession. Although the trade had improved in Hong Kong in recent years, most practitioners were fraudsters or opportunists trying to make a quick buck.

As a result, the general quality of people in this trade wasn’t very high.

Early Morning

Before dawn, Temple Street was already bustling.

At a wonton stall, five or six fortune-tellers had gathered. Today, however, they weren’t wearing sunglasses or traditional Tai Chi or Bagua outfits, making it hard for anyone to tell at first glance what they did for a living.

“Here you go, six bowls of plain noodles with green onions,” the stall owner announced, carrying a large tray with six bowls of noodles. He glanced at the six men and silently cursed them in his heart: Broke freeloaders. Six grown men eating plain noodles first thing in the morning—what a joke!

“Take your time eating,” the owner added sarcastically.

The six men said nothing. They waited for the owner to walk away and start serving other customers before quickly picking up their chopsticks and chatting as they ate.

“Old Xu, have you made up your mind? That damn girl is opening her shop today. We can’t just let her step all over us, can we?”

The speaker was a fat man, wearing a sleeveless undershirt despite the hot summer weather. Even as he spoke, he didn’t stop slurping down noodles.

Old Xu was a man with small eyes and a goatee. He responded, “Brother Deng, you’re the most experienced among us, so of course, it’s up to you to decide. Whatever you say today, I won’t have a single complaint!”

Old Xu’s eating habits were even more appalling. Not only did he eat his noodles, but he also kept pouring red vinegar from the table into his bowl. The stall owner’s face turned green with rage at the sight, cursing internally: Damn it, this guy’s eating fifty cents worth of vinegar on a two-yuan bowl of noodles!

“We all feel the same way!” the others chimed in.

“Alright!” Brother Deng slapped the table, exuding an air of bravado. “With everyone so united, if we pull this off today, I’ll treat you all to—”

The group immediately stopped slurping and looked at him with eager eyes.

Faced with their ravenous gazes, Brother Deng hesitated. In his mind, he initially thought of treating them to a full meal at a food stall but crossed it off. Then he considered four-dish rice bowls but decided that was still too expensive. Finally, gritting his teeth, he said, “Wonton noodles!”

What the…

The stall owner nearly stumbled over himself. Stay away, you broke freeloaders. Wonton noodles are only two and a half yuan a bowl; don’t start guzzling vinegar to make up for it later.

“…”

The group was speechless but figured that a free meal was better than paying for one. They enthusiastically applauded, saying, “Brother Deng, you’re so generous! No wonder you’re the king of Temple Street!”

“Not at all, not at all,” Brother Deng said, beaming as he clasped his hands together in a humble gesture.

Old Xu then asked, “Brother Deng, what’s the plan for today?”

“Easy,” Brother Deng replied confidently. “Here’s the deal: in a little while, you’ll do this, and you’ll do that…”

He had clearly already thought everything through. He gestured for the others to lean in, outlining his plan.

The stall owner watched them warily, thinking, This group is definitely up to no good. But what could they possibly do? They’re so broke they can only afford plain noodles. Even if they have bad intentions, it’s not like they can pull off anything major.

8:00 AM

Gu Xicao arrived at the shop with Lin Yuan. By then, Wang Laoshi had already opened the shop, leaving the doors and windows sparkling clean and the floor meticulously polished. He had even prepared a long red ribbon.

“What’s that for, Uncle Wang?” Lin Yuan asked curiously, both excited and hesitant as he eyed the ribbon.

Wang Laoshi patted the boy’s head and chuckled. “It’s for the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Oh, boss, I also invited Reporter Wang to come take photos for us today. He even offered to do some free publicity for us. Do you want that?”

Gu Xicao was pleasantly surprised. “Of course! Free publicity? That’s fantastic, Uncle Wang. I wouldn’t have even thought of inviting someone to take photos.”

Embarrassed by the praise, Wang Laoshi scratched the back of his head. “Well, I’m on your payroll, so I have to do my job. Otherwise, I wouldn’t feel right taking that salary.”

“Look at that! Wang Laoshi has no shame, running errands for that damn girl!” Brother Deng muttered angrily as he watched them.

Old Xu and the others chimed in, “Exactly! At his age, he’s old enough to be her father, yet he’s working for her. How humiliating! Let’s make sure he’s humiliated today!”

Though their words were harsh, their feelings were complicated.

Temple Street had about thirty to fifty fortune-tellers, but only a handful could afford a shop. And someone like Gu Xicao, with such a stellar reputation? She was one in a million.

“Is everything ready?” Brother Deng asked, glaring enviously at Gu Xicao.

The others picked up their tools.

Each person held a nylon stocking, while some had rotten eggs, others had wilted vegetables, and one even carried a bucket of foul-smelling water.

In short, everything was disgusting and reeked to high heaven.

Brother Deng inspected their items and nodded in satisfaction. “Good. Once the crowd gathers, we’ll rush in and trash her shop with these. Remember what to say when the time comes?”

“Of course!” Old Xu patted his chest confidently. “Just the usual—claim she’s inaccurate and a fraud.”

“Exactly. We’ll also say she has no real skills and is just scamming people.”

The group nodded in agreement.

Their jealousy toward Gu Xicao wasn’t new. To them, she was just a girl from the mainland who had snuck into Hong Kong and started fortune-telling on Temple Street without paying her respects to the local community.

Most infuriatingly, this damn girl had gained fame!

Now, everyone on Temple Street knew about Master Gu’s incredible accuracy. Even though her fees were high at 188 dollars per session, most people could afford it if they tightened their belts.

With such a formidable competitor, how could they not be envious?

And if this competitor seemed easy to bully—being alone with no family—they wouldn’t hesitate to take action.

Wang Laoshi noticed a group of people acting suspiciously near the corner of the alley. Unable to hold back, he went to Gu Xicao and asked, “Boss, those people over there don’t seem friendly. Should I go over and take care of it?”

Glancing in the direction he indicated, Gu Xicao saw a ragtag group of people. She shook her head. “No need. They can’t stir up much trouble.”

But Wang Laoshi didn’t feel as optimistic. He recognized several of them as notorious troublemakers from the area. These people might not have real skills, but when it came to causing trouble or making life difficult for others, they were experts.

What made matters worse was that these individuals often banded together. Like a pack of stray dogs, they were hard to deal with when they acted as a group.

Just as Wang Laoshi was about to try persuading her again, he noticed Gu Xicao stepping forward to greet some newcomers.

“Jiaying, Xiufang, why are you here?” Gu Xicao smiled warmly as she opened the door to welcome the two women.

Sun Jiaying and Zhou Xiufang, each carrying a gift, smiled back at her. “We came to congratulate you and wish you prosperous business and wealth.”

Zhou Xiufang handed over the gift and said, “Just a little something. Don’t be too formal with us.”

Taking the gift, Gu Xicao felt pleasantly surprised. She didn’t lack money anymore, but the thoughtfulness of others still touched her deeply.

“Thank you. That’s so kind of you. Come in and sit down. What would you like to drink?”

She was about to open the refrigerator when the sound of a car pulling up outside caught her attention. Turning around, she saw Secretary Lin and Cai Xiaowen arriving, both carrying gifts as well.

Zhou Xiufang said, “Master Gu, you go ahead and greet them. We’ll make ourselves comfortable.”

“Yes, we’re all friends. You don’t have to fuss over us,” Sun Jiaying added considerately.

Gu Xicao quickly called Wang Laoshi over to host them, while she went out to welcome Secretary Lin and her husband.

Secretary Lin handed over their gift with a smile and gestured for someone in the car to place flower baskets at the entrance. Soon, eight flower baskets were lined up outside, making the doorway quite crowded.

“Miss Gu, my father-in-law wanted to come today, but he wasn’t feeling well this morning. He insisted that we come in his place to show our support,” Secretary Lin said.

“Yes,” Cai Xiaowen added with a shy smile. “My father said you’ve helped our family so much. He felt bad about not being able to make it today.”

Gu Xicao responded, “It’s so touching that Mr. Cai even thought of me. Is he alright?”

“It’s nothing serious, just not feeling great,” Secretary Lin replied, shaking her head. “Actually, he’s much better now compared to before…”

Nearby

Brother Deng and his group were dumbfounded.

Old Xu, holding a rotten egg, rubbed his eyes. “Aren’t those two the son and daughter-in-law of the Toy King? What are they doing here?”

The others looked just as shocked, their jaws nearly hitting the ground.

“So what if they’re the Toy King’s son and daughter-in-law? What’s the big deal?” Brother Deng retorted stubbornly. “It’s just a social obligation. These rich folks are just giving that damn girl face. They’ll probably leave in no time.”

Old Xu hesitated. “So… should we still smash the place?”

“Of course, we’re smashing it!”

Brother Deng had already planned everything and couldn’t back down now. If he retreated, no one would take him seriously in the future. “But we’ll wait until those rich people leave before we act.”

Just as he finished speaking, someone stammered, “Fa… Ferrari…”

What?!

Ferrari?!

Brother Deng turned to look and saw Gu Yueluo pulling up in a sleek Ferrari, parking it right in front of the shop. She stepped out wearing a white suit, exuding elegance. The car and the woman were both dazzling, but the most striking feature was the license plate—8888.

Everyone in Hong Kong knew that this license plate belonged to the Gu family patriarch.

This number commanded respect from both the black and white sides of society.

“Sorry, am I late?” Gu Yueluo stepped out of the car with a smile, removing her sunglasses. Even Gu Xicao, looking over at her, couldn’t help but be momentarily stunned.

Gu Yueluo wasn’t a classically beautiful woman, but her recent successes had left her radiant. With significant power in her hands and the Gu family patriarch’s favor, she radiated confidence and authority, which made her stand out effortlessly.

“No, you’re right on time,” Gu Xicao replied helplessly. “Why did you go out of your way to come? It’s just the opening of my little shop. You’re making me feel embarrassed.”

“Master Gu, you’re too modest. Your shop may be small, but your reputation is anything but. Besides, with the friendship we share, how could I miss this occasion?” Gu Yueluo smiled and motioned for her secretary to bring out the gift.

The gift wasn’t wrapped, and the moment it was revealed, everyone turned to look.

It was a gold ship, crafted entirely from pure gold, measuring one meter wide and two meters tall.

“This gold ship is a small token of my appreciation, wishing Master Gu smooth sailing in business,” Gu Yueluo said with a smile. “I’m a bit tacky and only like gold and silver things. I hope Master Gu doesn’t mind.”

“Ah—”

Wang Laoshi almost cried out loud. He clamped his hands over his mouth, his eyes glued to the gold ship.

Tacky? This is luxury!

If the gold ship was made of solid gold, it would be worth at least 500,000 yuan.

“Damn… is that a gold ship?”

Brother Deng and his group were almost blinded by the sight. They couldn’t help but lower their heads to rub their eyes, then look up again.

Is that really a solid gold ship?!